Audit criticizes St. Paul English-learner programs

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Another day, another education audit.The Pioneer Press’ Josh Verges reports: “St. Paul Public Schools says it will make changes to its programs for English-learning students in response to a spotty compliance audit and pressure from the teachers union. … A recent review by the state Education Department identified a long list of concerns the school district must address, from improperly licensed teachers and suspect spending practices to insufficient support for students with intermediate language skills.”

Some, uh, interesting accounting going on in Rochester.MPR’s Catharine Richert report: “The Destination Medical Center in Rochester is about to hit a crucial milestone: $200 million in private investments. … Once it hits that mark, the state has promised millions of taxpayer dollars to improve Rochester’s infrastructure. … So far, the state has certified a total of $152 million in private investment toward the DMC. Mayo Clinic, the driving force behind the DMC, accounts for about 86 percent of the investments. … But how it got to that amount may raise eyebrows. … For example, there was Carol Nelson’s 2014 bathroom renovation. Nelson isn’t a developer; she’s retired. … ‘I’m elderly, and I did a walk-in shower because I had two bathrooms with bathtubs,’ she said. … The project cost $5,000, and the DMC counted it as a private investment.”

Water fight at the Legislature.MPR’s Dan Kraker reports: “A battle is brewing in the Legislature over efforts to reform the state’s environmental permitting process and delay the implementation of water quality standards. … Depending on whom you ask, the measures would either launch a coordinated attack on Minnesota’s bedrock environmental protections — or improve an unwieldy, job-killing system.”

Dylan speaks.True to form, the Star Tribune rounded up everything he had to say about Minnesota: “Bob Dylan didn’t show up at the Nobel Prize ceremonies in December but he turned up in a lengthy interview Wednesday night on – of all places – his own website, www.bobdylan.com. … The Hibbing-reared cultural icon is interviewed by veteran music journalist Bill Flanagan, who has worked for various magazines and television networks. It is one of the most straight-forward and revealing interviews that press-shy Dylan, 75, has ever given.… And there are lots of questions about Minnesota (he went hunting once, fishing many times).”

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Comments (1)

The St. Paul program takes in consideration of what the educators want students to learn, not what students want to learn. Students rarely have input into this program. Use more teachers who had to learn English themselves; they can relate to what students want.